Of Fire and Ice

C.71

Jellal and I found a room around sundown to rest and the minute I got in, I struggled a little in taking my pants off, then lied in bed and closed my eyes. Jellal came over and pulled the covers over me and I smiled. "Thanks." I sighed and fell asleep immeidately.

I woke up the smell of food and I sat up and saw Jellal eating breakfast at a table. I got up and sat down and he slid a plate in front. "Thanks." I smiled, eating my left hand. "Thank the gods I'm ambidextrous." I sighed a laugh.

"You are?" He asked and I nodded. "Little known fact about me. I just prefer my right hand, it's just easier." I shrugged my left shoulder.

"Feel any better?" He asked and I laughed. "I can't feel anything." I said.

After breakfast, I struggled a bit with putting some pants on, and Jellal offered to help, and I said I got it. I didn't have it.

He came over and helped me as I blushed madly. He stepped back and laughed at my face. "This stays between us." I said and he nodded with a laugh. "Of course." He got our bags and helped me on Ari as we got outside.

"You're still flustered." He said and I hid my face with my left. "Shut up!" I couldn't help but laugh a little. "Well the only person that's taken off your pants has been Grey." Ari spoke up. "Shut up... and Jellal didn't take off my pants! He helped me put them on! The button was being stubborn..." I grumbled. "Mhmm." She said and I glared.

"Watch it, lizard." I narrowed my eyes.

We were nearing Magnolia by lunch and people were falling asleep around us. We stopped a bit of a ways from Fairy Tail and I slid off Ariadne. "Thanks, Jellal. For everything. I had a nice time." I smiled and he nodded. "Sorry about your arm, though." He said. "Eh. It'll heal up in a bit." I shrugged.

We stood there in an awkward silence for a few seconds. "Gods, just hug and get it over with. The tension is killing me." Ari said and Jellal laughed a bit before hugging me and I hugged him back with my good arm.

"We should do this again." He said and I nodded. "Yeah, anytime you want. I'll ditch whenever." I said and he pulled back to stare at me. "You'd ditch your team to go on a job with me?" He asked and I nodded. "You wouldn't believe how nice it feels to be away from the crazy. You're pretty chill." I smiled.

"Just don't go getting a crush on me now." He said and I grinned. "You wish." He put my suitcase of money on Ari's back and turned to walk away. "See ya, Henley." He called. "See ya, Jellal." I smiled.

Ari and I walked towards Fairy Tail in silence before she spoke up. "What are you thinking?" She asked. "I like him." I said and she gave me a look. "Not like that! No, I wouldn't do that to Grey. I mean I can see Jellal and I as friends. Good friends." I said and she nodded. "Yeah, you two get along." She said and soon we were outside of Fairy Tail. "I don't wanna go in..." I sighed, but stepped in anyway.

I saw my team over at a table, and walked towards them as others welcomed me back and asked if I was okay. They looked up and immediately stood. "Gods, Gramps told us you got injured. How badly?" Natsu asked. "Not too badly. Got in and fight, and the dude cut me with and sword while I wasn't paying attention." I said and they stared with wide eyes. "Is mom going to die?" Salazar and Severus asked Harley as they sat on her lap.

"No. I'm fine. Just a few stitches and gotta remember not to move my arm, and I'll be good as new." I smiled to them. "So how was it?" Lucy asked. "Eh, alright. Kinda boring, though." I shrugged with my left shoulder. "Why didn't you say goodbye?" Grey asked, his arm around me and tracing patterns on my side.

"Grey, we all know how much I hate goodbyes. When Mystogan came, I didn't fall asleep, so I left around the same time he did. Thought it was easier." I shrugged again. "Did you talk to him?" Erza asked. "No, he's a quiet guy, isn't he? Really mysterious." I said and Mira brought me a beer. "Thanks." I smiled at her.

"How's your arm?" She asked. "It's fine. I'm drugged up so much right now, I can't feel a thing on my right side." I laughed.

It's a little scary how easy lying is.